I finally got around to finding a copy of the Them or Us book, and am currently enjoying it. Was hoping to start a discussion about it here. The first question I have to ask, (and this is for people who haven't read the book either,) is the opening section of the book is a play about Francesco Zappa. There is a video on Youtube featuring a radio performance Frank gave of this, which is hilarious for anyone not familiar with this play, although sadly it cuts out before the end. So there are musical directions, one of them is as such, "A horrible computer-generated musical interlude featuring an atonal concertina solo superimposed on a baroque cello ostinato is heard."Can anyone think of a synclavier piece that fits this description? I imagine if he bothered to write this entire play, he likely at least STARTED on the music. Would love to hear it!

It's kind of interesting. There is some hilarious stuff in it. The bulk is a retelling of his BIG story stuff, all crammed together with some very flimsy threads. So Billy The Mountain, Gregory Peccary, Divan, Joe's Garage, Thing-Fish, all weave in and out with some added text in each to explain the people sitting on the outside watching. The selling point for me was the inclusion of Hunchentoot, which I've always been super fascinated about. There is a hilarious side plot regarding some Movie executives trying to make the Valley Girls movie, and using blow to make all their decisions. Anytime anyone snorts it, they grow clown hair and clown appendages, which is also the origin of Frunobulax. Anyways, it's interesting, but also very cheap! Would love to hear thoughts from you guys about it if you ever pick it up. Not super sure yet if it comes with a strong recommendation, as so much of it is material I'm sure you already know off by heart. It is written as a movie script, in parts as a play, but anytime it is a play, you are for the most part supposed to understand it's actually a movie of a play, or something another character is watching on a cheap little tv.

I used to have Them or Us years ago. My memory is much as you described. I always assumed the name Hunchentoot was a characterization of a cocaine user/abuser but I'm not sure. You know you hunch over a mirror or whatever with lines of cocaine on it then you "toot" it up.

Maybe! He only snorts the clown stuff after the Hunchentoot play is over though, which is the stuff obviously added in the 80's, and I'm sure not an original part of the early 70's proposed musical. In the play, Drakma says something to the effect of him having a hunch, and then he plays a toot on his harmonica. They do give that explanation for his name in the text, but with Frank, everything had 5 meanings, so who knows.

Mr_Green_Genes, I've thought about purchasing that album, but other albums keep getting my money, (though I did listen to Endless River on the bike today). Someone posted his anti-drone song a few months back, so this album's probably in my near future.

I went to a Waters Dark Side show just before 2012 elections. They floated a giant helium pig that said "Vote Democrat" on the side (great, I thought), later Obama did his huge multiplication of drones and strikes and I wondered if Mr. Waters had buyers remorse.

Going on vacation tomorrow. Just bought the new Roger Waters album. Will listen. Can participate in relevant discussion that is irrelevant to the initial impetus to the thread. The internet is a live and well.

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